Add another job for Hart

Elaine Hart, who served as interim city manager between the departure of Marc Ott in 2016 and the arrival of Spencer Cronk in February, on Monday assumed another title – deputy city manager. She told the Austin Monitor that she would also retain the job of chief financial officer until the city hires a new one. She plans to finish her work with the city and retire in January 2020, after more than 30 years on the job. Hart was senior vice president for finance and corporate services at Austin Energy for 10 years before becoming the city’s chief financial officer in 2012. In her new role, Hart will take over the duties of former Assistant City Manager Mark Washington, who quit his Austin job to become city manager in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The city is currently searching for assistant city managers to take over each of the departments. Hart said as the new ACMs are hired she will give up those departments. The city has hired a search firm, Ralph Andersen & Associates, to assist in finding an assistant city manager for health and the environment/culture and lifelong learning, according to their posting.